Pie ckimping de vice



y 6,19 8- D. w. SMITH 2, 4,857

PIE CRIMPING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ.

FIG.2

L; (a! f I III 'llllllill l INVENTOR DENNIS W. SMITH ATTORNEYS D. W.SMITH PIE CRIMPING DEVICE July 6, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1946 FIG. 8

INVENTOR DENNIS W. SMITH ATTORNEYS Patented July 6, 1948 STATES PATENTOFFICE PIE CRIMPING DEVICE Dennis W. Smith, Chicago, :Ill assignor to"Colborne. Manufacturing Company, "Chicago, 111;, a "corporation ofIllinois Application May 4, 1946; rSe'rial''lio:-rfi67;344

'10 Claims. .1.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in piemaking machinery, andparticularly to improved means for'crimping the margin of'apiecrusthprior to the baking-of the .pie.

The-main objectsof this invention are tolprovidexan improved piecrustcrimping means for workingthe margin of-a piecrust-and applying theretoa bead cram-embossingo-f predetermined design; to "provide such=a meansthat will also serve as an adjustable piecrust trimmer; to provide animproved gpie'crust crimpin wheel; toprovide an improved piecrustcrimping wheel whereby the crimping operation is performed by l a singlerotary crimping element; .to provide an improved piecrust crimping wheelarrangedto be adjustable to vary :the design of the bead orembossingapplied to :the margin of a .pie during. the crimping operation;tofprovide such a crimping wheel having a pair of coacting elements,one'of which-is adjustable bothangularly and axially to varythe designapplied tol-th'e marginfof a" pie; and/coprovide :animproved crimpingdevice of simplified design and construction and which can-be readilyembodied in: existing automatic pie-making machinery.

Specific -embodiments ofthis inventionare shown intheaccompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figu-re l-is a viewinelevation andpartlyinsection :of the 'improvedpie-crimping apparatus, showing "the relation ofthe-:essential-.elements as they would be utilized in automaticpie-making machinery, the pie crimping means only being shown; p 1

Figure-2 deer-fragmentary sectional View showing one formof thepiecrimping wheel and-illustratingits mannerof operation on a .piecrust.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a pie-showing one formof-bead or-embossingas applied to the pie margin during the crimping operation of the crimping wheel illustrated in "Figure 2.

Figure Lis a vieweof the outer face of'the-improved "crimping wheelshowing: an arrangement 'by'vmcans of =which=the inner: and outermembers of th e crimping awheel canbe angularly adjusted relativerto:each 50131161.

Figurez'i is aiside elevationgpartly m section,

' 'showing details I of the-pie crimping i device shown in Figure 2, butwith the meeting elements of thecrimpin'gcwheeladjustedangularlyrelativeto/each other tn v'ary:thefdesig'n bfvthe head orembossing "applied'ito'the' margin of;azpiecr-ust.

Figure 16' "is a fragmentary sectional v-iew of a pieillustrating-.thedesignof bead or J embossing "appliedito'the margin of at piecrustby the device as arranged in Figure 5.

Figure 7'isanedge -orrperipheral view, partlyin section; of the crimpingwheel but with a'variation 'oi the: designzoiithe peripheral indents 1formed in the crimping wheel; and

2 I E'igure 8 isa fragmentary seotionalview of'apie illustrating vtheiorm. ofbead or embossing that may be applied by the crimping wheel-ofiFig'ure'l.

In the artof commercial pie-making, "automatic machinery iswellknown ioraooom'plishing substantially all oithe variousoperatio'ri's' involved in.the making of. apple and it is likewisawell known to embody all of themechanisms for'the several vpie-making operations ina singleJmachine.Such automatic pie making machinery usually involves some formofpiecrust crimping mechanismand'it is contemplatedthatthe inventionherein shown-anddescribed will'b'e'mainly utilized-insuch automaticie-making'machinery. Howeverfsince itis wellknown'intheart toco'mbinepie crimping devices withother apparatus'in an ,automatic'pie-makingmachine, 'onlythepiecrust crimping meansitslf will behereinshown anddescribed, lit being under-stood thattliem'anner of vapplying theinvention to autom'aticpiemaking machines can be readily practiced bythose ordinarily. skilled inFthis-a'rt.

As shown in Figure l-of'tne drawingsmnepia crust crimping devicecomprises a'pie plateholder or carrier l desi'gned to receive andsupport a pie plate 2 and to coact with acrimping"wheel,"generallyindicated by the numeral 3; which is disposed vertically atthe margin ofthe'carrieri-and arranged to rollfthereon in engagement with the marginof alpiecrust supported inthe pie plate 2.

Asshown, the carrier [is suppor'ted on'af plate ar -tray 4 whichisfixedon a rotatable shaft 5 and which is provided with anupstanding;pin, orpeg fitarranged'to-extend into a suitable apertureinthe base of the carrier l to lock the carrier againstrotation relativeto thertray'k 'The carrier l is also centrally -apertu red to receivethe endl'of-the'shaft 5, whichshaftis hollow totpe'rmi-t passage of averticallyreciprooable push-rod 1,

which in a-common and well-known manner'is utilizedto-ejectthepie.pIateZ from the carrier l whentheipiefinishing operations have beencom- ,pleted.

abracke't -9 depending from a piv'o'ted'arm i-llf'suitably-mounted onacarrying member I'l "The cantilevere'dend of the arm I'llissupportednn'a rod [2,.p'rojecting downwardly 'fro'mthe carrier memberwhich is provided with limit nuts 13 againstwhioh the end of the armI'll rests, and a spring is disposed between the carrier memberH:and-Ithe-piVOteCI arm '16 so as to normallyur'ge the arm in downwardlyagainst the limit nuts 13 and yet-'permitsome vertical mov'emeritiri'thearm I0.

These parts are-adjusted so that in normal operation :the crimping wheel3' will-be forcedi'nto ipressurerengagement with the dough of "thepieplate 2; and the upper surface of theicarrieris arranged to receiveand support the marginal flange and bead I of the pie plate 2. Also aquarter-rounded bead or ridge I7 is provided on the upper surface of thecarrier I, which ridge normally extends somewhat above the marginalflange of the pie plate 2, the height of the ridge I! being such as toaccommodate the thickness of thepiecrust dough after it has been crimpedand beaded or embossed.

As shown, the quartererounded head or ridge I! is substantially hat onits; inner side and is formed so that its inner diameter will beslightly greater than the diameter of the pie plate 2. The roundedportion of the ridge H is on the outside and the flange or uppersurface, of the carrier l extends somewhat beyond the ridge l! wherebythe ridge portion and the extension provides a track on which thecrimping wheel 3 may roll, the outer end of the crimping wheel havingits periphery formed to substantially fit the ridge l1 when the crimpingwheel is in its innermost position, as, shown in Fig. 2.

In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 5 the rounded portion of the bead llterminates at the crest of the bead, in a substantially fiat surfacewhich is marginal with respect to the flat inner side of the bead. Thisfiat top surface of the bead constitutes the trimming area and itsfunction will be hereinafter described.

As indicated in Figure 2,. crimping wheel 3 has its periphery indentedto form a series of connected openings or an irregularchannel, in theperipheral surface of the wheel, as indicated at 18, so that whenthecrimping wheelie rolled on the margin of a pie, the dough of thecrust margin will be pressed against the flange of the pie plate 2 andcrimped, and a part of the dough will be forced into the indentedportion or channel-like opening l8 of the crimping wheel. Thus, amarginal bead or embossing, conforming to the shape of the channelformed by the peripheral openings 8 of the crimping wheel, will beimpressed into thepie dough. Such a bead or embossing on the margin ofthe piecrust is indicated at IS in Figure 3.

It will be understood that as the dough of the i piecrust margin ispressed under the crimping wheel 3, the margin of the top crust and themargin of the bottom crust will be forced or pinched together, at thebase of the bead or emthe shaft 8 which is threaded into a suitable bythe assembly of the inner and outer discs and 2 I, is held on the shaft8 by means of a suitable nut and'washer 25.1 it being understood that inmounting the crimping'wheel on the shaft 8, the wheel will be left freeto rotate on I tapped. bore in the end of the bracket 1 and locked inposition by a suitable lock-nut 26.

pair of disc-like members 28 and ii positioned face to faceconcentrically and mounted on a In the form of i the crimping wheelshown in 3 Figure 5, themargins of the inner faces of the discs 20 and2G are provided with angularly spaced indents,somewhat in the nature ofthe teeth on a ring gear, so that when the discs 20 and 2! are placedface to face, the periphery of the wheel thus formed will have a seriesof angularly spaced peripheral openings which may or may not beconnected according to whether or not the discs 20 and 2! are spacedfrom each other. As shown in Figure 5,'the openings l8 formed byregistry of the indents in the faces of the discs 2!] and 2! areconnected so as to form an irregular channel in the periphery of thecrimping wheel, the inner and outer disc members 20 and 2! being spacedby a suitable spacer, or spacers 21.

As shown in Fig. 5, the walls 28 of the indents, and hence of theperipheral channel in the crimping wheel, are tapered so as to convergeinwardly toward the axis of the wheel; and the inner margin or piefacing end of the inner disc 2| isbeveled as-at 29, the bevel extendingto a point closely adjacent the peripheral open-i ings is formed by theindents'in the inner face of the disc 21.

The purpose of the beveled portion and the converging 'walls of theindents is to efiect a crimping and pinching action on the dough of thepiecrust at the same time the dough is being forced into the peripheralopenings of the crimping wheel for the formation of the desired bead orembossing on the pie margin, as shown in Fig. 2.

The bevel 29 at the pie facing end of the crimping wheel avoids contactbetween the periphery of the wheel and the piecrust inwardly of themarginal portion of the pie that is to be crimped, thus permitting thepie-engaging portion of the periphery of the crimping wheel to knead orwork the dough at the crust margin; and the inwardly converging orinclined walls of the peripheral openings in the crimping wheel serve tocompress or pinch the bead formed in the dough in much the same manneras though the bead were worked up by the human manipulation. I

As indicated herein, it is desired that'the discs 20 and 2|, comprisingthe crimping wheehbe shiftable angularly relative to each other, as wellas adjustable axially, thereby to vary the configuration of the head orembossing worked into the margin of the pie dough. As beforementionedaxial adjustment of the disc members 29 and 2i is obtained by means ofspacers or washers 21 interposed between the disc members when they areassembled.

tied together. Suchan arrangement is illustrated in Figure 4 wherein theouter face surface of the disc member 20 is shown. The slot-likepassages are indicated by the numeral 30 and it will be "understood thatthey are arcuate so as to permit angular movement of the securingscrewsor bolts 23 within the passages 30; "Inthe form shown in Figures,'4' and tine-securing bolt -are oithe flat headtype and the -outer-margins--of-=th slot passages "30 :are "beveled or countersunk "to receivethe flat-head of the boltor screw- 23 inflush engagement.

Thus by first-loosening .the screws 23; the discs 29 and 2i comprisingthe crimping wheelmay'be shifted angularly' to change-the relation ofthe indents in'the iacingportion of-thediscs and then the discs may belockedin the'desired relationby tightening the screws 23.

It will be observed-that the relation oi-the indents in. the facing;margins of the disc members 2t and 2!, as shown inFigure -5, i sdifferent than the relation indicatedRinEigureZ. "As-shown in Figure 5,the discmembers havebeenshiftedangularly to bring-the. indentsinto-registry and the channel formed in the periphery for the crimpingwheel is thus varied in configuration from that shown in Figure Z. Thetype ofbead-orembossing formed by the arrangement of Figure -5 is shownat 3 I in Figure 6 As shown in the drawings, the improved crimping wheelis designed toride onthe annular quarter-rounded bead l lformed on thetop surface of the carrier 1. Forthispurpose the outer disc 2&3 has itsperiphery shaped-to substantially fit the quarter-rounded ridge 'or bead-l'|and is 'providedwvith a flange-like portion-32 at its outer margin,w hichr-flangerlike portionjs designed to ride onthe outer edge of theupper-surface of the carrier I. This construction permits the crimpingwheel also to-serve as a dough trimming device for the dough of thepiecrustoverhanging the bead H5 at the edge of the pie plate flange,which dough will normally ove lap the rid e o bead 1'! on the carrierprior'tothe crimping operation. Such clo ugh will'be sheared ofi underthe r ol ling;action of thecrimping'wheel onthe bead-or ridge ll.

As shown in Figure -2, the head orridge H is spaced slightly from theedge of the pie plate flange to permit an overhang, of piecrust dough,of a? to Ts inch to. allow for shrinkage in the dough during the bakingoperation. Such overhang of the piecrust dough is made PQ SibIB Wit thepresent crimping device since the shearingaction, during trimming, isbetween the periphery of the crimping wheel and the flat top surface ofthe bead or ridge l1, rather than at the;edge ofthe-pie platewhich isthe common practice.

Also, the mounting of-the'crimping wheel, as shown in Fig. -5,-is suchthat'the wheel; assembly is adjustable horizontallywith respecttothebead or ridge i'l through-the threaded engagement of the spindle 8in the brackets. Thusthetrimming line, or line of contact between thecrimplng wheel andthebead; may be adjusted across the flat top surfaceof the bead to vary theamount of dough overhang. .Such an adjustment isindicated in Fig.5;

It will be understood that the openings in the periphery of the crimpingwheel 3 may be made to give any desired configuration to the bead orembossing applied to the margin of the pie. For example, the crimpingwheel in Figure 1 is provided with merely a continuous peripheralchannel that is uniform in cross section throughout its length. As shownin Figure 7, the crimping wheel 3 is provided with a series of roundopenings in its peripheral surface which will provide a bead orembossing having a configuration like that shown at 33 in Figure 8.

In the form shown in Figure 7, the openings in the periphery of thecrimping wheel may be made by -providi ng "semi-circular indents in *theabutting faces of the disc segments comprising the crimping wheel; andinthiscase"as well as in the arrangements shown in Figures 2 and 5, theconfiguration of theperipheral channel in the, crimping wheel can bevaried by angular adjustment of 4 the wheel discs 'or by axial spacingof the discs bymeans of the'wash-ers 21 interposed between the discs.

iIt-will beunderstood that the diameter ofthe crimping 'wheel will besuch *that circumference of the center line of thebead work-edintothepie dough will be substantially "a multiple of the circumference of thecrimping wheeL-or "at; least such that the indents and theembossing-willsub stantiallygear together on an over ride of the wheelon thepie margin.

In-the. operation of the improved'Pie-crimping device, the carrier 1supporting a filled pie plate is brought-into engagement Verticallywithrthe crimping wheel 3, there being sufficient engaging prcssure sothat the crimping wheel3-will-flride onthe annular .bead orflangeI'Ionthe top surface of,th e carrier l. 'Thecarrier l is thenrotated byany suitable means,not-shown, the crimping wheel .3 rolling freely onthe bead or ridge l1."

Asithle margin of the pie is engaged by the crimping wheel, the indentedor channeled periphery oi the crimping wheelis ,forced into the marginof the piecrust immediately 'over the flanged portion of the pie plate 2and v.the'overhanging portion of the pie dough is sheared off betweenthe crimping, wheel and t'he-bead-or ridge 1?. Then as the carrierfl isrotated and the crimping wheel 3 rolled on the carrier l and over themargin. of the pie dough, the pie margin is worked by -the crimpingwheel soas to squeeze the upper and 'lower' layers of piecrust .dough,together and at the same time forcevtheclough' to enter the openings orchannel in the periphery of the crimping wheel soas to form.a ridge orembossing of the desireddesign or configuration.

Afterthe carrier I has made a complete revolution. it is disengaged fromthe crimping wheel andshifted. on to the next operation which normallywouldbe automatic removal ofthepieplate :from th carrier fortransportation'tothe baking oven The main advantages of this'inventionreside gle device. Other advantages are round in the construction of thecrimpingwheel wherebythe pattern or configuration of the ridge orembossing formed in thepiecrust margin can'be varied by simpleadjustment of the two disc elements comprising the crimping wheel.

Still further advantages reside in the arrangement, whereby the improvedpiecrust crimping and trimming device can be readily installed inexisting automatic pie-making machinery.

Although several specific embodiments of this invention are herein shownand described, it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A piecrust crimping wheel comprising an inner disc and an outer discmounted face to face and arranged to rotate together, the margins of theinner faces of said disc being indented to form-a series-of openings inthe periphery of said Wheelbetween said discs, and means to adjust oneofsaid discs relative to the other to vary the pattern of said openings.

.2. A piecrust crimping wheel comprising an inner disc-and anouter discmounted face to face and arranged to rotate together, the margins of theinner faces of said discs being indented to form a seriesof openings inthe periphery of said Wheel between said discs, the walls of the indentsbeing inclined to converge toward the axis of said wheel, and means toadjust one of said discs relative to the other to vary the patternofsaid openings.

3. A piecrust crimping wheel comprising an inner disc and an outer discmounted face to face and arranged to rotate together, one of said discshaving a hub projecting from its inner .face. and the other of saiddiscs being fitted onto said hub, the margins of the inner faces of saiddiscs being indented to form a series of openings in the periphery ofsaid wheel between said discs, and means to .adjust one of said discsrelative to the other to vary the pattern-of said openmgs. r

. 4. A piecrust crimping device comprising a pie plate, carrier arrangedto receive and support an annular flanged pie plate with the flangedportion of said piev plate over-lapping and restingupon the uppersurface of said carrier, an annular bead on the upper surface of saidcarrier disposed to encircle the flanged portion of a pie plate restingon said carrier, and a crimping wheel arranged to roll upon said annularbead, said crimping wheelbeing disposed to overlap the flanged portionof a pie plate supported in said carrier and. having its peripheryindented intermediate its end faces and in the pie (plate overlappingportion.

5. A piecrust crimping device comprising a pie plate carrier arranged toreceive and support an annular Eflanged pie plate with the flangedportion of said pie plate over-lapping and resting upon the uppersurface of said carrier, an annular bead on the upper surface of saidcarrier disposed to encircle the flanged portion of a pie plate restingon said carrier, a crimping wheel arranged to roll upon said annularbead, and means to adjust said crimping wheel radially with respect'tosaid annular bead.

6. A piecrust crimping Wheel comprising an inner disc, and an outer discmounted face to face and arranged to rotate together, the margins of theinner faces of said discs being formed to pro-- vide a connected seriesof openings in the periphery of said wheel between said discs, and meansto adjust one of said discs relative to the other to vary the pattern ofsaid openings.

7 A piecrust crimping wheel comprising an inner disc andan outer discmounted face to face and arranged to rotate together, the margins of theinner faces of said discs being formed to provide a connected series ofopenings in the periphery of said wheel between said discs, and means toadjust one of said discs angularly relative to the other to vary thepattern of said openings.

8. A piecrust crimping Wheel comprising an inner disc and outer discmounted face to face and arranged to rotate together, the margins of theinner faces of saidv discs being formed to provide a continuous channelextending around the periphery of said wheel, and means to adjust one ofsaid discs axially relative to the other to vary the Width of saidchannel.

9. A pie-crust crimping device comprising a, pie plate carrier arrangedto receive and support an annular flanged pie plate with the flangedportion of saidpie plate overlapping and resting upon the upper surfaceof said carrier, an annular head on the upper surface of said carrierdisposed to encircle the flanged portion of a pie plate resting on saidcarrier, said head having a flat top surface adjacent its inner margin,a

crimping wheel arranged to roll upon said annular bead, and means toadjust the position of said crimping wheel radially across the flatsurf-ace of said annular bead.

10. A piecrust crimping device comprising a pie plate carrier arrangedto receive and support an annular flanged pie plate with the flangedportion of said pie plate overlapping and resting up-on the uppersurface of said carrier, an annular ridge on the upper surface of saidcarrier disposed to encircle the flanged portion of a, pie plate restingon said carrier, the top surface of said ridge being flat adjacent itsinner margin, a crimping wheel arranged toroll upon said annular ridge,and means to adjust the location of said crimping wheel radially acrossthe flat surface of said annular ridge.

, DENNIS W. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file .ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Harries Jan. l4 1941

